VOLUME 10-11 NOVEMBER NO. 2

HONORARY PRESIDENT P.O. Box 325, Port Clyde ME 04855 Dr. Charles Swithinbank WWW.ANTARCTICAN.ORG PRESIDENT Charles Lagerbom CONTENTS 16 Peacedale Dr. Northport, ME 04849 BRASH ICE ……………………....… cover THE LONGEST WINTER ………..……….…. 6 [email protected] CENTENNIAL MEDAl ……....….…...… 3 DEEP FREEZE …...... ….…. 7

VICE PRESIDENT PRESIDENT SPEAKS ………………...... 3 DOG AND PONY SHOW .….…..………...…. 8 Dr. Anthony J. Gow CHRISTCHURCH EARTHQUAKE ...….. 4 EREBUS TRAGEDY ……………….……...... 9 117 Poverty Lane Lebanon, NH 03766 COLIN BULL ………………….……..…. 4 ADELIE PENGUIN ………….…...... … 9 [email protected] AUCTION……………………...... ….…... 6 MCMURDO SOUND ECOLOGY ……… ...... 9

TREASURER SCOTCH AT CAPE ROYDS ….…………… 10 Paul C. Dalrymple Box 325 Port Clyde, ME 04855 Phone: (207) 372-6523 BRASH ICE. This is being put to bed in the height of the rescue of the Chilean Miners, [email protected] which CNN covered so magnificently, with occasional references being made to similarities in Antarctica and the people living there. But my Antarctic experience could SECRETARY in no way be comparable to the hardships that the 33 miners must have experienced. But John F. Splettstoesser 433 Fifth St. Apt. 316 the euphoria of being liberated from a stalag in Germany was certainly comparable to Waconia, MN 55387 the thrill of the miners coming back into civilization. I have no idea at all how hard the [email protected] miners must work when they are performing their regular duties, but I do have a slight idea how hard it was to mine snow in the 90-foot pit at the South Pole. The Siple family WEBMASTER Thomas Henderson thought that Paul’s efforts in working so hard in the mine at the South Pole in 1957 was 520 Normanskill Place the beginning of the deterioration of his health. They may have had a valid point. Slingerlands, NY 12159 [email protected] I could not help laughing at the miner coming back up to two women, one his wife, one his mistress. But that was nothing compared to an Antarctican who was stranded at a BOARD OF DIRECTORS foreign station who had three women awaiting his return. This man was completing his Robert Allen second year at the station, and found himself facing a third consecutive year there when Dr. Harold Borns Dr. Arthur B. Ford ice conditions were so severe that they could not resupply the station. Meanwhile his Guy G. Guthridge wife, his fiancée, and his mistress were all bugging Washington to get him back home. Katy Jensen His wife wanted to divorce him, his fiancée wanted to marry him, and his mistress Dr. David Marchant Jerry Marty wanted him back as a lover. It just happened that Bert Crary, who was a wheel in the Dr. Michelle Raney polar office, who knew the guy personally, was in a South American city where he could Dr. Warren Zapol contact the American by phone. And he said to him, “Hey, there are a bunch of women back in the states who want you back pretty badly, but it would cost us a fortune to fly a plane over there to get you. What would you say if we left you there for a third year?”Without a second’s hesitation he responded, ”That’s okay, Bert, just leave me here, no problem.”

Who is a typical Antarctican, is there a prototype? I have had several Antarctic Gatherings at my home in the past four summers, and the amazing thing to me is how similar the new crowd is to the old folks.

Thanks to the Logans, Drew and Diana, who We hope that all of you are using our web site live here in Maine, we have been blessed by to keep abreast of all of the great things that them introducing us to people who have Tom Henderson is doing as our webmaster. It wintered over in recent years. But take Ed is a continuing labor of love for Tom, and one Flowers, a meteorologist at the South Pole, of his most recent changes is a simplification who passed away in the past month. I knew of his Time Trek program. He initiated this Ed back in 1956 before he went to the ice and I very recently with an update on Charles knew him after he went to the ice. Swithinbank. Be on the lookout for more of your favorite Antarcticans. Meanwhile, our But he was what I would call an atypical president, Charles Lagerbom, continues his Antarctican, yet a couple of years later he went wonderful free slide-scanning program for back to the South Pole to winter over again, he Society members. What a team, join us in was married, dead-pan serious, and a making your own contributions, helping to professional all the way--trained in build our Society even more. meteorology. About twenty-five years after the IGY, a bunch of us South Pole veterans We are pleased to note that many of you from that era decided to have a composite IGY responded to the item in the previous reunion from both IGY years, including both newsletter about the need for Ed Stump to sandcrabs and swabees. We actually had a come up with what is known as a great turnout, but one exception was this ‗subvention‘ by the publisher of his book fellow Ed Flowers who responded, ―If I am manuscript, ―Exploring Deep Field going to spend that kind of money traveling, I Antarctica,‖ a very thorough coverage of the am going to go see my grandchildren, not geology of the Transantarctic Mountains by going back to see you guys‖. Well, Ed is gone means of spectacular photographs and text at now, and I doubt if his last thoughts were the level of semi-technical readers. The about the Antarctic. But when I go, which publisher specified a necessary dollar amount won‘t be too far away – I‘m 87 in November--I in order to go further with its publication, and think my last thoughts will be flying up the Ed has informed us that the amount has been Beardmore in an R4D with Gus Shinn in the reached through the generous donations of pilot seat. What a thrill that was to me. members and others. His next step is to do final editing to bring it to the publisher‘s We are also thinking of streamlining our requirements, and a book is expected in 2011. Society‘s Newsletter, especially making it Good fortune, Ed! more interesting to the younger people, also our newer members. If you have a desire to Time is running out on your opportunity to write an Antarctic story of interest, send it to extend your membership at our current low our secretary, John Splettstoesser, and he will price of $15.00 per year – memberships go up put it into the bin for the next Newsletter. His to $20.00 per year on January 1, 2011. Many email address and postal address are on the of you have extended your membership five to cover page. As our Honorary President, ten years downstream, which certainly helps Charles Swithinbank, recently wrote, ―We do the paper work of your treasurer. We hope to need a broader net sweeping in more get a supplemental shipment of the 2011 contributors from our membership, especially Hedgehog Antarctic calendars, but this will be the younger people who will be our heirs.‖ it. So if you want one of these special We should probably limit obituaries to one, calendars, send a check for $15.00, made out book reviews to no more than two, and as to the Antarctican Society, to us in Port Clyde, many recent news happenings on the ice that Maine. No guarantees honoring orders after we can muster the first of December.

2 SOCIETY’S CENTENNIAL MEDAL South Pole, plus the same for Robert Falcon HONORING AMUNDSEN-SCOTT. Just Scott. prior to this Newsletter going to press, our Vice-President, Tony Gow, and our Treasurer, OUR PRESIDENT SPEAKS (Charles Paul Dalrymple, visited an artist by the name Lagerbom) There will be a celebration for of Jack Chase in Jericho, Vermont, on an Captain Robert Scott in Plymouth, England exploratory visit about Jack designing for our next June 4-5-6, 2011. It will be one of many Society a Centennial Medal honoring the 100th festivities of a much larger, year-long anniversary of Amundsen and Scott arriving at recognition of his expedition that reached the the South Pole in December 1911 and January South Pole in January 1912. I have made 1912. Jack is a very accredited sculptor, being tentative plans to visit and take part in the one of the finalists for the design of the Viet celebrations, my small role being a short talk Nam Memorial. Look him up on the internet. about Henry Bowers of Scott‘s polar party. We have been thinking about the upcoming Centennial for some time, and came before So I checked in with some of my Antarctic Jack with several of our own suggestions. buddies from our fieldwork days in the Dry Then Jack showed us what he thought that he Valleys to see if they might want to come could design and which would be most along as well. Why not use this occasion to appropriate for the occasion, and at a price that gather? These were the guys who made my we felt would be in the range of our member‘s Antarctic experience all the more memorable. pockets. We were the S-156 field party from high up in the cirques of Upper Wright Valley, the grunts, We wanted a design that would be relevant to the beakers, whatever you wanted to call us. both Amundsen and Scott, and, indirectly to We worked hard, played hard and learned our Society. The one common element quite a lot. I learned how to get along, I seemed to be snow, which both had to travel learned what I could or would put up with, and over to reach the South Pole. We had a snow where I would draw the line. It was one of the expert in our midst in Tony Gow, the recipient more formative times in my life. We saw the of the Seligman Crystal from the International best and worst of each other and forged some Glaciological Society. And we were in strong bonds, like a band of brothers. Jericho, Vermont, birthplace and home of Wilson Bentley, who was widely known for Well, it has now been twenty years and I his remarkable scientific research and notice that we do not seem to gather as often as photographic work in the study of snowflakes, when we first got back. We did so at the big beginning with his successful print in January occasions such as weddings and occasional 1885 and culminating with well over 5000 vacations but time has gone by and our microphotographs of snow crystals during his moments of seeing everyone have grown fewer lifetime of 66 years. And Jack, himself, has and farther between. We have moved on to made many sculptures utilizing snowflakes. other parts of the country and begun lives Everything was pointing towards a design separate and distinct from anything Antarctic featuring snowflakes! related. Good thing for emails, Christmas cards and phone calls, but we all know that that does Right now Jack is working on his preliminary not quite really cut it. design for our Amundsen-Scott Centennial Medal, working in conjunction with Tony And that got me thinking about Henry Bowers Gow. We hope to have a design and leaflet and his place in Scott‘s expedition. What a printed and distributed to you by the end of the dynamo of energy and industry! Everyone current calendar year. This medal will come seemed to have nothing but praise for the with a neck chain, and will also show Roald young Scotsman. He seemed to be one of those Amundsen‘s name and date of his arrival at the guys who was everywhere, involved in most

3 aspects of the expedition and well-liked by although a number of them have been in the most, if not all participants. He was also quick 5.1-m range, and some may continue for to volunteer, a hard worker, willing to do what months, but hopefully decreasing in size and was necessary, steadfast and reliable to the frequency. The good news is that Margaret is end. fine, with minor damage to her house, and she says that Spring has arrived in Christchurch, So I am looking forward to seeing the and many of our readers know what that celebrations in Plymouth next June, with the means….. a beautiful time of the year. opportunity to talk about the incredible Henry Bowers. But no doubt more important for me, I Later message from Margaret on Oct. 20 – will get the chance to once again see the During a 36-hour period earlier this week there people from my own Antarctic experience. were 34 aftershocks, including one of 5.0 For further information: yesterday, which seemed more severe than the http://www.scott100.org/events/641/. Also, earlier 7.1 quake, but it was centered just 10 inquire at [email protected]. km southwest of the city and only 9 km deep. No injuries, but a bit of damage to some CHRISTCHURCH EARTHQUAKE buildings and liquefaction around the FOLLOWUP (Received Oct. 9, 2010) In the epicenter. words of Margaret Lanyon, ―What makes an earthquake so terrifying is you don‘t know [Note about earthquake definitions. ‗m‘ as how strong it is or how long it‘s going to last. noted in Margaret‘s personal account is a The totally unexpected and violent 7.1-m ‗seismic moment’, a measure of the size of an earthquake experienced in Christchurch on earthquake based on the concept of rupture and September 4 was no exception.‖ We asked slippage along a fault plane as a rotational Margaret for this follow-up because she was moment about a point on the fault. Kind of there at the time (4:36 a.m.) and experienced fancy, but it is more common these days than some damage in her house. She continues to measuring an earthquake on the Richter scale, say, ―Improved building codes helped to which shows the size or magnitude of the prevent more damage than was experienced, earthquake ranging from 1 to 10. The although many old buildings have to be Mercalli scale, another way of labeling the demolished before they disintegrate.‖ Some event, is a measure of intensity ranging from 1 damage continues as a result of aftershocks. to 12 (almost total destruction). No matter Estimated damage to homes and other what you call it, it can be terrifying if you‘re in buildings amounted to $4 billion [N.Z.$], and it. Some of the differences between those to date has led to almost 100,000 claims to the scales show as scribbles on a seismograph, or Earthquake Commission. About 1,000 claims simply breakage of household goods, such as per day are still being lodged. The government things flying off shelves. JFS] has rushed emergency legislation through Parliament to override laws with a view to COLIN BULL PASSES. By John removing bureaucracy, which could slow Splettstoesser. It is an honor for me to write recovery. Hundreds of houses have been the obituary for Colin Bull for the Newsletter, declared unfit for habitation, and thousands as he shaped my life toward my personal more have sustained serious damage. Many involvement in polar regions from the time that businesses have been forced to close down or he hired me in 1967 as Assistant Director of relocate because of structural damage to the Institute of Polar Studies (IPS), The Ohio premises. In the space of five weeks, there State University (OSU). have been 1576 seismic shocks in the province Colin was born in Birmingham, England, on of Canterbury, and the count increases daily. 13 June 1928, and earned his Ph.D. degree Margaret said the probability of large- there in Physics. Colin passed away on 7 magnitude aftershocks occurring is decreasing,

4 September 2010 at the age of 82 while on a words that imply misery in the field, but cruise to Alaska with his wife, Gillian. making light of it. Obituaries composed for Colin that I am aware of are filled with accolades and praise for a In his latest book, ―Innocents in the Dry man who affected many people in many ways. Valleys, an account of the Victoria University In the case of graduate students (14 Ph.D., 8 of Wellington Antarctic Expedition, 1958- M.S.), he was a mentor for their success. The 1959,‖ (Victoria University Press, 2009), a Antarctican Society Newsletter is a venue for similar type of anecdotal account flows from serious content (but you might have to search Colin, with his wit evident in relating many for it), and it is also a means for me to include episodes of field work. some scholarly tidbits about Colin as well as some of the wit that Colin was inevitably The greatest thing that ever happened to OSU bound to express, whether in the field with and polar sciences there occurred as a result of students or anywhere else. For more serious a meeting with Dick Goldthwait from OSU obituaries of Colin, refer to upcoming issues of who invited Colin to move to Columbus in Polar Record and Arctic, and others. I have 1961 to help set up the Institute of Polar taken the alternate route, illustrating that Colin Studies. The position was for 15 months, and was a serious scholar and scientist, but also a he and his family stayed for 25 years. The talented wit with an unequaled sense of humor. moves that followed were quick, with ‗Doc G‘ moving from Director of IPS to become Rather than belabor details about his early Chairman of the Geology Department and education, a few highlights of his life are worth Colin taking over as IPS Director, 1965-69. pointing out, an early one that perhaps shaped This period of his life was my learning period his life and career, was his participation in the to work with someone who was a born leader British North Greenland Expedition, 1952-54. and who looked for opportunities that Afterward, he and his new wife Gillian elected advanced the lives and careers of, not himself, to move to New Zealand where Colin would but those around him, and as a result, I am take a position in the Physics Department at indebted to Colin as a mentor. Many of the Victoria University of Wellington. Colin‘s students went on to distinguished Shortly after, he led an expedition to the Dry careers in their professions, many of them still Valleys of Antarctica, described in the second active in several countries and in responsible ―Innocents…‖ book below. positions. Some have earned the kudos of their peers by professional society awards at It is apparent from reading his recent books on the highest level—Seligman Crystal, National ‗Innocents‘ that he must have been a delight to Medal of Science are only two examples. be with in the field, cheerful under the worst of Whenever possible, Colin would encourage his circumstances, and also a good leader. For students to present the results of their research, example, in ―Innocents in the Arctic, the 1951 even though preliminary, at technical symposia Spitsbergen Expedition‖ (University of Alaska or meetings in order for them to achieve Press, 2005), which provides an amusing but recognition as a start to their careers. factual account of events, Colin said that the three-month expedition was his first of more Continuing in his upward leaps within OSU than 20 expeditions made to the polar regions administration, Colin replaced Doc G as over the last 50 years. ―..it was the most Geology Chairman, 1969-72, followed by memorable of them all. I’ve been sopping wet Dean of the College of Mathematical and countless times but that was the only occasion Physical Sciences, retiring in 1986. Soon I’ve started the day by wringing icy cold after, Colin and Gillian moved to Bainbridge rainwater from the sleeping bag in which I Island, Washington, where Colin established a intended to sleep again the following night.‖ business buying and selling ‗Polar Books.‘ (p. 239.) Only Colin could have put it into

5 Colin‘s scholarly works numbered some 60 or understand why the entire team broke up in more papers or publications, including the two laughter. One of Colin‘s favorite stories. books mentioned above, as well as a thorough Survivors include his wife, Gillian, and their review of the literature published as three grown children, Nicky, Rebecca, and ―Snow Accumulation in Antarctica,‖ 1971, a Andrew. paper written while Colin was on a Quarter leave from OSU at the Scott Polar Research ANTARCTIC AUCTION. An auction sales Institute. He also edited, with Pat F. Wright representative has announced an auction on (Sir Charles‘ daughter), ―SILAS: The November 19, 2010, of Antarctic material Antarctic Diaries and Memoir of Charles S. from the estate of Richard R. Conger, Chief Wright,‖ Ohio State University Press, 1993, an Photographer‘s Mate with Operation Windmill example of Colin‘s interest in making public (1947-48). The items in the estate will soon the records of early explorers. be listed in a catalog, but a summary can be found at www.oldtownauctions.com. Perhaps one of the more classic articles by Examples include a large collection of Colin appeared with one of his graduate Antarctic books, photos, images, a camera and students as senior author, and Valter Schytt, other miscellanea. The auction will be held in visiting scientist at OSU, who worked with Boonsboro, Maryland. Questions can be Colin and Olav Orheim in the field, resulting directed to Laura Gast, sales agent, at tel (410) in ―Glaciological studies of past climatic 458 – 5768; email variations in the South Shetland Lands,‖ [email protected], or published in Antarctic Journal of the U.S. in [email protected]. 1972. This significant work is often cited and commonly known as the ‗Orheim-Bull- THE LONGEST WINTER: SCOTT'S Schytt’ effect, surely not an accidental OTHER HEROES, by Meredith Hooper. grouping of authors. London: John Murray, 2010, 358 pages, Another achievement worth mentioning is that $26.95. Review by Charles Lagerbom. We all Colin was the force behind the acceptance by know Scott‘s last expedition. Beaten to the the U.S. Antarctic Program and U.S. Navy of pole by Amundsen, Scott and his four an all-female expedition, in this case to the Dry companions struggled back along a thin trail of Valleys in the 1969-70 austral summer, led by scattered depots only to fall short by 11 miles Dr. Lois Jones, paving the way to overcome of provisions and help at One Ton Depot. We the roadblock for women in the U.S. program have also heard of Lt. Victor Campbell‘s thereafter. ordeal, the struggles of his ―Northern Party‖ forced to winter in an ice cave with scant More anecdotes? I like the idea that Colin provisions and clothing. What has been never minded when students and anyone else neglected or not yet fully examined is their referred to him as CB-cubed (for Colin Bruce relation to each other and their place in the Bradley Bull). One of his favorite stories was larger context of the same expedition. This has about a seismic field team in a company of been masterfully redressed in Meredith Germans that was about to set off an explosive Hooper‘s The Longest Winter: Scott’s Other charge. As the shooter (probably Colin) in Heroes. In January 1911, Robert charge of the instrument to set off the charge Falcon Scott said goodbye to Lt. Campbell and was not proficient in German, he looked at the the Lieutenant‘s five companions. Scott was instruction manual at hand, and when the hurriedly preparing his fall depot journey charge was ready, the next step was to alert which resulted in establishing One Ton Depot anyone within hearing that the proper word to miles short of its intended position. Campbell yell was ‗Schiessen‘ (for ‗Shoot‘ in English). and his men, considered the other main thrust He was close, but yelled ‗Scheissen‘, and if of the TERRA NOVA expedition in addition to you know enough German, you will Scott‘s polar attempt, were headed to King

6 Edward VII land to explore that largely called ―smitch‖) or feeling the pains of hunger unknown land to the east of Ross Ice Shelf. At over their poor diet and physical results from least that was the plan. it. She also brings all six members fully into the narrative, the officers Campbell, Levick Campbell‘s party, called the Eastern Party, and Priestley but also the seamen Abbott, chose not to land on King Edward VII land Browning and Dickason, a long overdue (due to the unexpected presence of redress in polar chronicles. It is also interesting Amundsen‘s winter quarters at the Bay of that Campbell and his men expected or hoped Whales) but instead wintered at Cape Adare, a for some sort of relief party to reach them and mountainous and glacier-locked area at the tortured themselves with ―what if‖ scenarios as northern end of Victoria Land already visited to why no one appeared. Almost fittingly, they and investigated by an earlier expedition. It had to extricate themselves from their ice cave was an incredible letdown for Campbell and winter quarters and sledge hundreds of miles his team. But they resigned themselves to back to Cape Evans, all on their own power, making the best of it, with the hope of later initiative and resources. exploring west of Cape North. Hooper fleshes out these changes of plans and how they This ordeal would no doubt have dominated affected Campbell and his men. Using their the expedition‘s main narrative, but for the own words from diaries and journals and news of the polar party‘s death, especially just correspondence, she examines the implications a few miles from relief. According to Hooper, both physically and psychologically as well as that tragedy reset the entire expedition. Almost how this affected Scott‘s overall plans for his without missing a beat, Campbell and his men expedition. were renamed the ―Northern Party‖ and their ordeal, while horrible and grueling, relegated After their winter at Cape Adare and their to the status of addendum to Scott and the fate failure to get beyond Cape North, Campbell of the polar party. This occurred whether in convinced the TERRA NOVA to drop them off news coverage of the time or with publication at Evans Cove to the south for two months of Scott‘s Last Expedition, where the exploring. They expected to be picked up ―Northern Party‖ story was added almost as a before winter but the TERRA NOVA failed to sidebar in the second volume. This diminution reach them. Forced to excavate an ice cave on of their struggles and achievements took hold a nearby island they later appropriately named even with Priestley‘s published account and Inexpressible, the men suffered dreadfully and even later publication of Campbell‘s survived mainly by their ingenuity and abbreviated journals. Meredith Hooper has hardiness. Hooper writes of their feelings of done us a great service in bringing Scott‘s being abandoned, their not knowing why or other heroes their proper due. how it happened. More interestingly, she examines the other people involved whether DEEP FREEZE!, A Photographer’s aboard TERRA NOVA or back in England Antarctic Odyssey in the Year 1959, by who stated (perhaps too quickly or cavalierly) Robert A. McCabe. International Photography that Campbell and his men would be fine. Publishers, ISBN 978-0-9843364-0-1, 2010, 147 p. (Reviewed by Paul Dalrymple.) What They were not fine and the ordeal they endured is my primary responsibility as a book makes a gripping read. Hooper tells their story reviewer for the Antarctican Society‘s in the timeframe it happened, not bringing in NEWSLETTER? Probably two-fold, to use later or contemporaneous events of which they whatever Antarctic knowledge I may or may had no knowledge. Not only does this make not have to either recommend or to warn our their ordeal all the more grueling, it also puts members about a book. When I first saw this the reader right in the ice cave with them book, I wasn‘t enthusiastic about reviewing it, whether choking on the blubber smoke (they but knowing myself as an honest man, I said

7 ―Why not me?‖ After all I was probably better the sole exception of Admiral David Tyree‘s qualified than any other member of our Society and several of his self-portraits. to review something that occurred in 1959, as I was at McMurdo in January 1957, in He was there in an interesting period, but most November and December 1957, in November were ignored in his diary‘s comments. The and December 1958. International Geophysical Year had come to a conclusion at the end of 1958, and the When I saw this book, I wondered why the following year saw those sciences left out of author waited some 50 years after his the IGY, such as geology, botany, and biology, experience to finally publish. It would seem to all standing by to come to the ice. The United me if he felt like he had a winner, he would States had turned Wilkes station over to the have wanted to get it out on the streets while it Aussies, Ellsworth station to the Argentines, was still hot news. After all, there was really and was in the throes of closing up Little only one photographic coffee table book America V. The Antarctic Treaty was being published by 1960, the all-encompassing enacted in Washington, and the National ANTARCTICA by the fine Swiss Science Foundation was gearing up to become photographer, Emil Schulthess. You might call the scientific arm in the USA for Antarctica. McCabe‘s book a coffee table book, as the So there were many things happening of author, a photo-journalist, has 68 pages of importance, but where this was a personal superb black and white photographs, and an diary, none got mentioned. additional nine center-fold type, back-to-back pages. This book is actually his photographic McCabe did make a Globemaster C-124 air diary. The only difference in what he did and drop flight to the Pole, but they never buzzed what you and I did when we came back home the camp after their final drop. It used to be a and showed our own pictures to our families is common practice for the Globemasters to buzz that this fellow had great cameras and shot the station if they had a photographer, such as beautiful pictures. Tom Abercrombie, aboard, but McCabe missed out. It was too bad that he never flew How long was McCabe at McMurdo, it does to the Pole on an R4D or a P2V as then he not say, but presumably he was only there for a could have gotten some spectacular low limited time? I judge this by the fact that he altitude photos of the Beardmore. evidently never was taken to the spectacular Dry Valleys, never was taken on a flight that There are plenty of beautiful coffee-table landed at the South Pole or to Byrd station. books of Antarctica, but McCabe‘s is only for And my memories seem to recall that the press those who must have all of them. There is one was taken everywhere of note. He did go to on the market for $4,000, but you can get a Cape Evans and to Cape Royds, but he dozen excellent books of this type for a certainly did not maximize those visits. Both legitimate price. A more recent one, published visits were covered in one short paragraph, in 2002 is ANTARCTICA , A Year at the totaling only seven sentences. He has more Bottom of the World, by Jim Mastro. Great pictures of the shadow of planes on the snow book, truly a great coffee table book. But if surface than he does of those two historic huts. you are a lover of splendid black and white photography, on the finest stock, look at This book is about snow and ice and planes McCabe‘s book, as it may be just the one you and mammals, not about people, not about are looking for. events. There are a couple of pictures of Walt Seelig, but even though this well known DOG-AND-PONY SHOW FROM Antarctican is shown, his name is misspelled! CHRISTCHURCH TO MCMURDO. A lot of candid shots were taken of Navy (Modified from article in The New York Times, personnel, but names were never shown with September 27, 2010, by John Wilford.)

8 Beginning in October, aircraft resume supply peace‘, since not all bodies could be recovered. runs from Christchurch to McMurdo as they (Adopted at the ATCM XI, Buenos Aires, have for many years, but for the first time, 1981.) their flight maps will show navigation waypoints honoring the names of dogs and ADĒLIE PENGUIN WINTER ponies from the expeditions of Amundsen and MIGRATION – WHO WOULD HAVE Scott in 1911-12. Several of the animals‘ GUESSED? By John Splettstoesser and names have been modified to conform to the Antarctic Sun. A recent article by Grant standard five-letter format for the waypoints, Ballard and David Ainley in the journal where at intervals of a few hundred miles Ecology revealed some surprising information pilots must report by radio to air traffic about where Adélie penguins migrate in controllers their time of arrival, position, and winter. Over a period of years of attaching weather conditions. For example, Uroa, one geolocation sensors to Adélie penguins at the of Amundsen‘s Greenlandic dogs, becomes Cape Royds colony (about 2,500 breeding Urroa, and Jimmy Pigg, one of Scott‘s ponies, pairs; the southernmost colony of penguins in becomes Jipig. The 12 waypoints are the the world) and at Cape Crozier (about 150,000 initiative of Col. Ronald J. Smith, a U.S. Air breeding pairs), both on Ross Island, it was Force navigator and former commander of found that the penguins migrate north to within Operation Deep Freeze, who wanted to honor 500 km of the northern edge of the ice and the animals for their roles in the expeditions as open ocean, amounting to some 17,600 km of part of the upcoming centennial celebration. migration when including motion of the ice Names of animals are no longer allowed for and currents in gyres. Two requirements are geographic features on the continent itself, necessary for their migration --- light for although known exceptions from earlier days navigation, and fishing for food. Even the include the names for lakes in the Dry Valleys twilight in winter is sufficient for their -- Vida and Vashka, dogs from the British migration, for it is assumed that they rely on Antarctic Expedition, 1910-13, approved in the sun in order to return to their same nesting 1962 and 1964, respectively—and Vanda, sites each breeding summer. Considering named by Colin Bull in his 1958-59 VUW changes in ice conditions through time, as well Antarctic Expedition for one of his dogs in the as perturbations in their breeding habitats, such British North Greenland Expedition, 1952-54, as recent icebergs blocking access routes to approved in 1962. and from colony sites, they are very adaptable, as one would expect after many centuries of EREBUS TRAGEDY REVISITED (from doing what they do. Ice conditions due to Margaret Lanyon, Christchurch Press, 1 Oct. global warming and other factors can induce 2010.) Eighty people who lost family major challenges in their annual survival, and members in the 1979 Erebus tragedy will it is possible that those colonies might become travel to Antarctica on a remembrance flight as extinct, but it is also possible they would a result of their names drawn in a ballot. A simply move farther north, such as they Royal New Zealand Air Force 757 will fly to probably did when the Ross Sea was ice- McMurdo in February 2011, and the family choked in earlier times. Cape Adare would representatives will spend a few hours at Scott provide a natural haven for them in such a Base, where they will take part in a memorial case. service. Last year, Air New Zealand took six family members of victims on a flight to mark MCMURDO SOUND ECOLOGY might the 30th anniversary of the disaster, which sound pretty benign, but through the past 40 occurred on November 28, 1979, when an Air years, biologist Paul Dayton from Scripps New Zealand DC-10 crashed on the side of Mt. Institution of Oceanography is revisiting the Erebus, with a loss of all 257 on board. The sea bottom that he studied when he was a crash site was designated a tomb to be ‗left in student and conducting experiments that he

9 will see once again as a diver. Paul wintered at provisions to make it back safely if he went all McMurdo in 1963, and through a series of the way to 90 degrees South. To make a long dives in the 1960s he and fellow divers placed story short, perhaps he did celebrate to some numerous cages or floats on the sea floor in extent anyway, but also left behind some McMurdo Sound. The objective was to spirits under the floorboards of his hut at Cape examine the benthic organisms through time to Royds, Ross Island. Crates of scotch and see how they interacted and colonized. Cages brandy were discovered there a few years ago, were designed to keep out sea stars, a encased in ice but apparently in good voracious predator of sponges, for example, as condition. They were dug out with great care part of the long-term experiments. Dayton‘s with all intact -- eleven bottles of scotch in last trip to McMurdo was in 1989. The current two crates, plus two crates of brandy. The plan uses a robotic device that is lowered into scotch was from the Mackinlay‘s distillery the Sound to locate the earlier cages and (now Whyte and Mackay), and although no examine changes in the ecology. Some 500 bottles were opened after the discovery, dives and numerous scientific papers resulted samples will be taken by syringe through the from the 4 decades of study of the bottom cork to send to the distiller in an attempt to organisms, a lengthy baseline of data existing reproduce the recipe. The scotch vintage is nowhere else in such detail. from 1896 and 1897, and is presently ‗aged‘ beyond expectation. The crates will be As an aside to the story above excerpted from returned to Cape Royds, even though The Antarctic Sun, many Society members will Shackleton will not return. The next time you recall the ―McMurdo Dump,‖ the ever- visit the hut, and tour vessels often do, keep in growing pile of rubbish at the side of the mind that ‗The Boss‘ planned well in all his station facing Winter Quarters Bay* and expeditions. Have a drink in his honor (but Scott‘s 1901-04 Discovery Hut. Until 1981, not from the 1896-97 vintages). rubbish from the U.S. station was dumped in that location and much of it went out to sea on Speaking of that ritual, the first time I visited sea ice and when the ice melted the payload of Grytviken, South Georgia (it was New Years rubbish sank to the bottom. A survey in 2001 Eve, 1983), and the cemetery where of what was visible on the seabed included 15 Shackleton is buried, I was a lecturer on a tour vehicles, 26 shipping containers, 603 fuel vessel, the first time I had been on that ship drums, and some 1,000 miscellaneous items and with those staff. At the grave site, one of spread over about 50 acres. Toxic materials the staff gave a brief speech about Shackleton, such as PCBs, metals, and hydrocarbon fuels the Endurance, Cape Wild, James Caird, etc., were discovered in bottom sediments, a feature enough to create anxiety (and thirst) in anyone, of common disposal procedures formerly and then all the Zodiac drivers brought out a practiced by Antarctic stations with rubbish hip flask of spirits and had a toast to ‗The disposed of on site, rather than removed from Boss.‘ Each of them then sprinkled a bit of the Treaty area under today‘s requirements. the contents on the grave, and it was then that I (*From Wikipedia.) became aware that Shackleton didn‘t mind a drink or two at the proper time, and these men CENTURIES-OLD SCOTCH AT CAPE honored that tradition in a way that ‗The Boss‘ ROYDS. By John Splettstoesser. When would have appreciated. Most of those staff Ernest Shackleton attempted to reach the South have since retired or are on other ships, the Pole in his 1907 ‗Nimrod‘ expedition, he ship sank in 2007, but the tradition at the planned ahead and made sure that there would cemetery lives on…… as I have experienced at be some spirits to celebrate the event on his the cemetery many times since. return. He didn‘t quite get to the Pole, coming within 97 nautical miles of it before turning back, realizing that he did not have enough

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